Orders For Durable Goods Up In June

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Orders for long-lasting manufactured goods rebounded in June after a May decline, helped by a recovery in demand in a key category that signals business investment plans.

The Commerce Department says that orders for durable goods increased 0.7 percent in June on a seasonally adjusted basis following a 1 percent decline in May.

A category viewed as a proxy for business investment plans rose a solid 1.4 percent, recovering after a revised 1.2 percent drop in May. It was the best showing since orders in this core capital goods category rose 4.7 percent in March.

The strength last month came from solid gains in demand for commercial aircraft and machinery. Economists expect economic activity will strengthen in the second half of the year, helped by stronger factory production.